Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Eco-districts in France: What tools to ensure goals achievement?

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Globally, to build cities and communities more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable is one of the most important sustainable development goals. Eco-districts in cities emerged as an answer to current global environmental concerns and have been developed in France since the 1990s. The objective of this work is to gather operational feedback from sustainable neighborhood projects owners to better understand the key barriers of such projects and how to overcome them. A case study of the eco-district Les Tanneries, Lingolsheim showed that the carbon footprint of each inhabitant annually amounted to 4 tons CO2 equivalent, more than half of the French average. Rooms for improvements were clearly identified regarding transports and food carbon footprint. Indicators for energy consumption, social diversity and density reached the level of the eco-districts average. A governance review pointed out some superior practices such as the formalization of a specification requirements handbook, a competition between project management teams, and the use of neighborhood sustainability assessment tools to measure and track changes in performance. The validated tools and obtained results can be useful in building sustainable cities and even China’s ecological civilization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acuto M. 2018. Global science for city policy. Science, 359: 165–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ADEME. 2014. Dossier technique pour l’élaboration de scenarios prospectifs-Vision “2030–2050”

  • Boquet K. 2016. Ecodistricts: What tools to ensure goals achievement? Dissertation for Master’s Degree. Beijing: Tsinghua University

    Google Scholar 

  • Bossel H. 1999. Indicators for sustainable development: Theory, method, applications. Manitoba: International Institute for Sustainable Development. 39–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Boutaud B. 2009. Quartier durable ou éco-quartier? (in French). Cybergéo-European J Geography, http://journals.openedition.org/cybergeo/22583

  • Certivéa. 2016. Certification HQE Aménagement™ (in French). Accessed November 15, 2017. https://www.certivea.fr/offres/certification-hqe-amenagement

  • Chang I C C, Leitner H, Sheppard E. 2016. A green leap forward? Eco-state restructuring and the Tianjin-Binhai eco-city model. Reg Stud, 50: 929–943.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chastenet C A, Belziti D, Bessis B, Faucheux F, Le Sceller T, Monaco F X, Pech P. 2016. The French eco-neighbourhood evaluation model: Contributions to sustainable city making and to the evolution of urban practices. J Environ Manage, 176: 69–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clerc C, Suna-Enache C, Vogel T, Lang P O. 2017. Modalités de dépistage de la dénutrition chez les patients âgés: Étude auprès de 100 médecins généralistes de l’Eurométropole de Strasbourg NPG Neurologie-Psychiatrie-Gériatrie

  • Colglazier W. 2015. Sustainable development agenda: 2030. Science, 349: 1048–1050.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui Y, Xie X, Liu Y. 2018. Social media and mobility landscape: Uncovering spatial patterns of urban human mobility with multi source data. Front Environ Sci Eng, 12: 7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maurer D L, Koziel J A, Bruning K. 2017. Field scale measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from land applied swine manure. Front Environ Sci Eng, 11: 1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du Z R. 2016. Planning framework of the circular economy eco-city. Open House Int, 41: 71–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finnegan W, Goggins J, Chyzheuskaya A, Zhan X. 2017. Global warming potential associated with Irish milk powder production. Front Environ Sci Eng, 11: 12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald J, Lenhart J. 2016. Eco-districts: Can they accelerate urban climate planning? Environ Plann C Gov Policy, 34: 364–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flynn A, Yu L, Feindt P, Chen C. 2016. Eco-cities, governance and sustainable lifestyles: The case of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City. Habitat Int, 53: 78–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraker H. 2013. The Hidden Potential of Sustainable Neighborhoods: Lessons from Low-Carbon Communities. Washington D C: Island Press

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gabillet P. 2015. Energy supply and urban planning projects: Analysing tensions around district heating provision in a French eco-district. Energy Policy, 78: 189–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holden M, Li C, Molina A. 2015. The emergence and spread of ecourban neighbourhoods around the world. Sustainability, 7: 11418–11437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Komeily A, Srinivasan R S. 2015. A need for balanced approach to neighborhood sustainability assessments: A critical review and analysis. Sustain Cities Soc, 18: 32–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohler M, Blond N, Clappier A. 2016. A city scale degree-day method to assess building space heating energy demands in Strasbourg Eurometropolis (France). Appl Energy, 184: 40–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li H F, de Jong M. 2017. Citizen participation in China’s eco-city development. Will “new-type urbanization” generate a breakthrough in realizing it? J Clean Prod, 162: 1085–1094.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lombardi P, Trossero E. 2013. Beyond energy efficiency in evaluating sustainable development in planning and the built environment. Int J Sustain Building Tech Urban Dev, 4: 274–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machline E, Pearlmutter D, Schwartz M. 2016. Parisian eco-districts: Low energy and affordable housing? Build Res Inf, 46: 636–652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministère de l’écologie, d.d.d., des transports et du logement. 2011. Appel à projets EcoQuartier 2011, Notice explicative de la grille EcoQuartie

  • Ministry of Territorial Cohesion. 2016. What is an EcoQuartier? (in France). Accessed November 15, 2017. http://www.cohesion-territoires.gouv.fr/les-ecoquartiers

  • Ministère de l’écologie, d.l.é., du développement durable et de la mer. 2010. Arrêté relatif aux caractéristiques thermiques et aux exigences de performance énergétique des bâtiments nouveaux et des parties nouvelles de bâtiments Journal officiel de la République Française

  • Pajot C, Delinchant B, Maréchal Y, Frésier D. 2018. Impact of heat pump flexibility in a French residential eco-district. Buildings, 8: 145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips J. 2015. A quantitative approach to determine and evaluate the indicated level and nature of global ecological sustainability. Area, 47: 197–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reith A, Orova M. 2015. Do green neighbourhood ratings cover sustainability? Ecol Indic, 48: 660–672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson R J, Morenoff J D, Gannon-Rowley T. 2002. Assessing “neighborhood effects”: Social processes and new directions in research. Annu Rev Sociol, 28: 443–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selmi W, Weber C, Rivière E, Blond N, Mehdi L, Nowak D. 2016. Air pollution removal by trees in public green spaces in Strasbourg city, France. Urban Forry Urban Greening, 17: 192–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharifi A, Murayama A. 2013. A critical review of seven selected neighborhood sustainability assessment tools. Environ Impact Assessment Rev, 38: 73–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharifi A, Murayama A. 2014. Neighborhood sustainability assessment in action: Cross-evaluation of three assessment systems and their cases from the US, the UK, and Japan. Building Environ, 72: 243–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tessitore S, Daddi T, Frey M. 2012. Eco-innovation and competitiveness in industrial clusters. Inter J Tech Manage, 58: 49–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UN Habitat. 2016. Guidelings for Urban Planning: Prepared for the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Accessed March 10, 2018. https://unhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Guidelines-for-Urban-Planning-in-Myanmar.pdf

  • UNDESA. 2013. World Economic and Social Survey 2013: Sustainable Development Challenges. Accessed March 15, 2018. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/2843WESS2013.pdf

  • Weber C L, Clavin C. 2012. Life cycle carbon footprint of shale gas: Review of evidence and implications. Environ Sci Technol, 46: 5688–5695.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber R, Reardon M. 2015. Do eco-districts support the regional growth of cleantech firms? Notes from Stockholm. Cities, 49(Suppl C): 113–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson J, Tyedmers P, Pelot R. 2007. Contrasting and comparing sustainable development indicator metrics. Ecol Indic, 7: 299–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winston N, Pareja Eastaway M. 2008. Sustainable housing in the urban context: International sustainable development indicator sets and housing. Soc Indic Res, 87: 211–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng H W, Shen G Q, Song Y, Sun B, Hong J. 2017. Neighborhood sustainability in urban renewal: An assessment framework. Environ Planning B-Urban Analytics City Sci, 44: 903–924.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Eva Albalghiti of Yale University for language improving. We also acknowledge the two reviewers for their valuable comments. This work was supported by the Asia Research Centre in Tsinghua University (Grant No. 2018-B1) and the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2019YFC1908504).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Kathleen Boquet, Jinhui Li & Xianlai Zeng

  2. Higher Institute for Environmental Engineering and Management, MINES ParisTech, Paris Cedex 06, France

    Charline Froitier

  3. GEM Company Limited, Shenzhen, 518101, China

    Kaihua Xu

Authors
  1. Kathleen Boquet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Charline Froitier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jinhui Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kaihua Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xianlai Zeng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xianlai Zeng.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Boquet, K., Froitier, C., Li, J. et al. Eco-districts in France: What tools to ensure goals achievement?. Sci. China Earth Sci. 63, 865–874 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-018-9605-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-018-9605-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation